Notes from all workshop sessions

Group One

We need to look at councils that have managed the cuts without library closures etc (maybe UNISON could help with this research?) and other examples of good practice that can be held up rather than focusing purely on the horror stories.

Library leaders need to be more vocal about what libraries do, the future of the sector and where we are headed.

Do councillors know what libraries do? Are they members of their library service etc

We should focus on inviting them along to libraries etc

We need more clarity from the Government over their plans for libraries

What are CILIP doing? They could bring back Library Standards

Group two

Need to break the consensus on cuts

Concern over our ability to speak to the local media being curtailed by

local councils gagging library workers.

We need to form a national campaign with prominent personalities.

We should make plans for National Library Day 11 Feb 2014

Group three

Make councillors, chief officers and MPs aware of the benefits that libraries bring to the elderly and the vulnerable.

Make them aware of the legal framework that libraries operate in

(Library Act and other legislation e.g. Surrey)

Are councils making an effort to clarify where the cuts are coming from?

Central Government

Do work show how local government services are inter-connected – e.g. cuts to library services have a knock on effect to social services at a council.

Local campaigns need to improve dialogue with local unions and through them the staff

Information must be made readily available to all – rich or poor.

Emphasise our literacy problems.

Organisation of information. Support is needed from these organisations. UNISON should try and run a national campaign via the TUC. RNIB should get involved given that their home delivery book service is adversely affected by the cuts plus the loss of libraries impacts on the ability of people with sight problems to have much needed social

contact. IAW (?) – Legal toolkit

Success stories should be publicised. Communication of initiatives,

stories and projects is not as effective – we need a central source of info.

Group Four

We need to evaluate the real life examples from different models of library provision

Councillors need to be made to be more accountable and to be scrutinised more

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Numbers

From 1st April 2017 to end of March 2018, CIPFA reported 127 libraries lost. Since 1st April 2016 to end of March 2017. CIPFA reported 105 libraries closed, bringing the total to 3745 branches. 2015 to end of March 2016: CIPFA reported 121 libraries closed, bringing the total to 3850 libraries. In 2014/15 there was a decline of 106 public libraries, (with 260 static libraries were put under threat of closure/passing to volunteers. 9 mobile libraries under threat in the same period). .

There were 4023 in 2013/14, 4482 in 2009/10 and 4622 in 2003/4. CIpfa have calculated that 121 service points lost in 2015/16, 106 service points were lost in 2014/15, 49 were lost in 2013/14, 74 were lost in 2012/13, 201 in 2011/12, 33 in 2010/11.

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